“Now is an excellent time to
walk the farm and identify areas where soil might be compacted. Water collecting in fi elds and re- maining for longer than normal is a sure sign – as are patchy ar- eas of growth. “If you suspect a case of com-
paction, there’s little point do- ing anything else until you’ve solved the issue at its root. To cor- rect compaction of just one to two inches, a sward slitter will suffi ce. Down to six to eight inches you’ll need to use a sward lifter to aer- ate the soil.
“Once this is done,
– leading to delayed germination and root development, reduced grazing opportunities and lower silage yields. Ms Dawson’s advice to farm- ers who suspect a case of compac- tion is simple: Get out and check fi elds early – before the bulk of spring work occurs – and then fi x the problem as quickly as possi- ble, she says.
you
can start thinking about oth- er ground works, adding nutri- ents and planning any reseeding ahead of the main grass growing season. Most farmers soil sample every three to four years. Check- ing fi elds regularly should be standard farming farming prac- tice.”
Further hints and tips on man-
aging grassland are available in the Barenbrug Good Grass Guide. For a free copy of booklet, visit
http://bit.ly/GrassGuide.
Balance rations to make the most of forage
Producers are being warned to watch for the effects of rumen pH drop as maize starch degra- dability increases in the clamp.
QLF nutrition- al adviser Bron- wen Pihlwret (pictured) says it is impor- tant to rebal- ance rations as the season pro- gresses.
Doing
so will to maintain milk quality and diet cost-effectiveness by counter- acting any increase in starch degradability, she adds. “The starch element of maize breaks down into propionic acid in the rumen, and this can lead to increased acidity which can depress rumen pH, so care must be taken to avoid sub clinical
acidosis, particularly when fed with other cereals.” To prevent the rumen en- vironment becoming unsta- ble, Ms Pihlwret advis- es feeding molasses in the ration, to not only buffer the rumen against the possible pH drop, but also to provide a vital source of energy for rumen microbes. “Feeding molasses alongside maize with this
year’s generally high protein grass silages, will provide the microbes with a source of ru- men fermentable energy, to maximise forage breakdown and microbial protein produc- tion. This produces the amino acids essential for milk pro- duction.”
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